The narrator hides a gun in her vacuum cleaner and a ring wrapped in tissue inside her brassiere.
She cleans rooms quickly with a manual sweeper, meets Sunitha in the hallway, who warns her to be careful, implying the hotel has secrets.
Sunitha's odd behavior and cryptic message puzzle the narrator, but she focuses on wrapping up her work to leave for lunch early.
The elevator is repeatedly busy with guests, highlighting the unequal treatment of maids.
She confronts Cheryl about her right to take a lunch break, asserting herself and referencing her high productivity score.
The narrator evades Mr. Preston’s inquiry as she rushes out of the hotel for an undisclosed errand.
She walks past a business presentation and reflects on her own missed opportunities for formal education, but appreciates hotel-provided professional development.
The narrator recalls a previous staff development day where Mr. Snow, the hotel owner, emphasized the importance of every employee through a "hive mentality" analogy.
At that event, despite her enthusiasm, her coworkers mocked her, signaling their lack of respect for her.
After the meeting, Mr. Preston reassured her that the recent critiques from the owner were not directed at her and expressed his respect for her.
She completes a transaction at a pawnshop, exchanging the ring for a wad of bills now hidden in her brassiere.
The narrator struggles with guilt over her actions but reassures herself by remembering the pain Mr. Black caused, associated with the ring.
Keeping track of time carefully, she plans to return to work before her break ends.
The narrator observes her own reflection and the items in the pawnshop window, including the luxurious ring she just pawned.
The shopkeeper expresses sympathy, misunderstanding the situation, but the narrator cryptically suggests that things are going better with her "man".